Doctors Who Listen Get Better Results

Doctors may criticize patients for being “noncompliant,” but a study suggests their bedside manner may be somewhat to blame. Researchers studied medication refill data for nearly 9,400 people with diabetes taking pills to lower blood glucose, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, or blood pressure. Participants rated their doctors’ communication skills, such as whether they listened carefully or explained medical information thoroughly. When analyzing the data, researchers learned that people who felt their doctors had poor communication skills were less likely to stick with their medications, especially when it came to diabetes meds.Source:JAMA Internal Medicine, published online Dec. 31, 2012